OVER 800 WORKERS RESCUED IN TARLAC POGO RAID

MORE than 800 suspected victims of human trafficking on Wednesday were rescued in a raid at a POGO compound in Bamban, Tarlac.

A report to Philippine National Police chief Gen. Benjamin C. Acorda Jr. indicated that among those rescued were  371 Filipinos and 499 foreigners, including 427 Chinese nationals, eight Malaysians, 57 Vietnamese, three Taiwanese, two Rwandans and two Indonesians.

The raiding team composed of officers from the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, Integrity Monitoring and Enforcement Group and Intelligence Group, as well as agents of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission and the Armed Forces Northern Luzon Command, stormed the Zun Yuan Technology Inc. compound at Sitio Pag-asa, Bgy. Anupul in Bamban, Tarlac 1:30 a.m. Wednesday.

The raid was conducted on the strength of two search warrants for trafficking in persons and serious illegal detention issued by Bulacan Executive Judge Hermenegildo Dumlao.

According to PAOCC Executive Director Undersecretary Gilbert DC Cruz, the operation was triggered by a complaint filed by a Vietnamese national who was able to escape from the facility last February 28.

Cruz also said that a Malaysian national, who is currently being held inside the compound, sought the help  of the PAOCC.

.He said operatives were able to find scripts similar to the love scam modus found in the raided POGO/IGL h(Internal Gaming Licensees) hubs.

Also recovered were android smartphones phones and iPhones with possible scam transactions.

Cruz said the PNP Anti-Cybercrime Group would apply for a cyber warrant to be able to examine the seized mobile phones.

Also seized inside the raided facility were  three shotguns, a 9mm Glock semi-automatic pistol with a Carbine conversion, two cal. .38 revolvers and 42 assorted live ammunition.

The workers are undergoing interview by members of the PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group while personnel from the Bureau of Immigration will check the immigration documents of the foreigners.

Authorities are looking into the involvement of the company workers in fraudulent online activities here and abroad.